The End of all Bonds
by Subkulture
Summary: Gray returns from a gruelling mission only to find that the nightmare has followed him home. /Oneshot-Complete


**The End of All Bonds**

_-Fairy Tail-_

**-EoAB-**

Rain began to dot the ground as Gray walked through the lonely streets of Magnolia. The citizens had felt the impending storm and had retreated into their homes until it had passed. Gray had nothing against the rain, so he did not hurry to his destination. Instead he kept up his leisurely stroll, his head tilted to the sky.

There was a painful feeling in his stomach. Like something was eerily wrong with everything here. It had sat in his gut since he had awoken in the hospital not an hour earlier(the wound hadn't been serious. But they had made him stay over night just to prove him right). The more he looked too the ominous clouds the stronger that feeling became. It was practically making him physically sick.

Maybe he would talk to someone at the guild about it. Erza, perhaps. She took things like this serious, were as others would dismiss it as just a feeling.

By the time he reached the guild the rain was coming down in sheets and he was running. Water made paths down his face and arms while his shoes squeaked as he ran. He pushed the left door open with he shoulder, his shirt had already been pulled off his back and he was considerate enough to ring it out under the entrance, rather then in the middle of the main room.

The smell of moisture wafted in from outside; the scent of rain and mud didn't not quite mask the eerie smell he caught as he took his first few steps into the room. It smelled sickeningly familure, but he couldn't quite place it.

"Gray," sand an ever happy blonde from her usual end of the room. He turned to Lucy with a curious expression dotting his face. "You've made it out of the hospital. Sorry we didn't come see you, were only just got back ourselves."

The ice mage shrugged of her apology as nothing and she beamed at him. "It's nothing. I spent half the time there arguing with the nurses. I didn't need that bloody fire mage coming in and making the battle worse. Knowing him he'd probably take their side. Or-"

"Or burn the hospital down?" she laughed, finishing his sentence for him. "Yeah. I thought of that too, actually. So I guess it was a good thing that we didn't come by, hmm?"

Gray agreed, taking a seat across from her. "Speaking of the flame head, where is he? And Happy?"

"Oh! Right, they're talking Jacques for a tour of the new building."

"Jacques?"

Lucy blinked at him in disbelief. "Don't you remember Jacques? You and Natsu used to hang out with him five years ago. Before he left on a ten year mission. Apparently Gildarts found him during the assignment and helped him out, that way he got to return home sooner."

Gray's brow furrowed. He didn't know any Jacques – but that would explain that unfamiliar scent he caught when he had walked in her. "I don't remember any _Jacques_. And how would you know this? You haven't been here that long."

"Huh? Well I...guess... I don't know. You guys must have talked about him so much that I guess I feel like I've known him my whole life."

Mirajane floated over to their table, placing a meal in front of Gray. He hadn't eaten since he got back to Magnolia, and only now that he could smell freshly cooked food did he realize just how hungry he really was. "Gray? Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," he replied, testing the sandwich before taking a bite. Under Mira's watchful eye he was careful to swallow before talking. "Why?"

"I overheard you and Lucy, and for you to not remember Jacques is strange. The two of you were always glued at the hip. He always broke up yours and Natsu fights – the serious ones – saying that he couldn't stand to see two best friends quarrel. Don't you remember that?" Gray shook his head around another mouthful. "Honestly? You used to come charging into the guild beet red and he would follow you like your shadow."

"Listen, honest-to-fucking-god, I have no _clue _as to who you're talking about," he barked.

"Gray," Lucy whispered softly. They were turned heads now and she was sensitive to the attention the – apparently, sensitive – matter was getting. "Are you sure you're alright? Maybe we should take you to see Porlyusica?" She paused, he eyes wandering toward the staircase. "Speaking of the devil, here he is now."

Gray turned in time to see Natsu wave, he hand effectively blocking out man's face behind him. The ice mage quirked an eyebrow around his chewing, waiting for the fire mage to drop him hand.

He did.

The sandwich dropped, hitting the edge of the plat and scattering across the table in pieces.

He _did_ know the man, Jacques. But not from his childhood and definitely not from five years ago. In fact, his arm still throbbed with the memory of what the man had done to him yesterday.

With a clatter of chairs, Gray pushing himself across the room, catching the man by his collar. "_What the hell are you doing here?_"

"Gray!" someone behind him screeched. But he was too blind and too deaf to know just who. Natsu arm wrapped around Gray's chest.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Gray?" Natsu snapped, he went to pull Gray off but 'Jacques' stopped him.

"I said," Gray snarled, "What the _hell_ are you doing here?"

"I just came home," Jacques said, a coy smile plastered across his face.

"Bullshit!"

More of the guild had gathered. Lucy had a restraining hand placed on his shoulder while Natsu had his gripping around Gray's collarbone.

Gray bit into his lip. "Bastard," he muttered, but his arm dropped anyway.

Jacques wrapping an arm around the mage's shoulders; it felt like spiders crawling up his arm. "Don't worry, Gray." His fingers, ran down Gray's arm, hovering over his bandages before pressing down. "You don't remember me yet but you will. You're memory just has to play a but of catch up."

He spun around, his fist catching the stranger square in the jaw.

Somewhere behind him Lucy screamed.

"_What the hell did you do to everyone?_"

* * *

A/N: Just some drabble; which is something I never thought I'd write 'cause even my oneshots seem to grow too long. . .

There will be a link to the inspiration in my profile. So if you wish too see it you can go there :) - fair warning though, its a Bleach amv, but its good~

I'm also pretty sure this wasn't beta'd and I know I make a lot of mistakes but I don't have the patience to reread my stories, no matter how short it seems. Sorry ^^"


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